Although the behavior of the oral apparatus during feeding is well known for several mammals, there is no precise quantitative representation of the observed movements of jaws, hyoid and tongue, or the activity of their associated muscles. This research will develop a model to explain statistically the variation in movement, activity, and coordination among the elements of the orofacial complex during normal feeding behavior. This model will also be used to investigate variation in feeding activity with respect to food type and consistency, as well as differences among species of mammals, particularily differences between higher primates and those other mammals studied to date. Documentation of the coordinated movements in the three musculo-skeletal systems for several species will support the hypothesis that mastication in mammals, including man, is controlled by a central pattern generator. Variation in the coordination due to anatomical differences in mammals versus primates, and the response of each system to changes in input, such as food consistency, can suggest the nature and possibly the extent of such a pattern generator. By providing new insight into the regulation of mastication in man, this work will enhance our understanding of dysphagia and other regulatory disturbances of human feeding behavior.